Period Leave: Where in India is period leave available? Find out which states have this facility.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Period leave is a crucial topic related to women's health. Whenever this leave is discussed, many people wonder if there's a specific law in India that mandates it. It's worth noting that currently, there's no national law or uniform policy regarding period leave in our country.

However, this doesn't mean that women aren't entitled to this privilege (menstrual leave in India). Despite the lack of a national law, individual states, educational institutions, and many large companies have implemented this leave for women on their own.

The issue was raised in Parliament

A major step forward on this issue in the country was when MP Hibi Eden introduced a private member's bill in Parliament in 2022. In this bill, she proposed that women should be granted three days of period leave every month.

In which states is 'period leave' available?

While there is no uniform rule across the country, several states in India have taken significant steps to facilitate women employees and students:

Bihar

When it comes to period leave, Bihar leads the way. This policy has been in effect in the state since 1992. Under this policy, female government employees in Bihar are granted two days of period leave every month.

Karnataka

Karnataka has taken a historic step in this direction. In 2025, Karnataka became the first state in the country to mandate period leave for women working in both the government and private sectors. Women here are entitled to one day of leave per month.

Odisha

The Odisha government also recently implemented this feature for the benefit of female employees. Starting in 2024, female government employees in the state will receive one day off each month.

Kerala

The Kerala government has gone a step further than working women and has also established rules for female students. Starting in 2023, female students studying in Kerala's higher education institutions will be granted monthly leave. In a significant relief, the 75% attendance requirement for exams has been reduced to 73% for these female students.

Private companies are also coming forward

Not only state governments, but many private companies are also offering this facility to their female employees. Today, many major companies in the country offer monthly leave to their female employees. These include companies like Zomato, Swiggy, and Larsen & Toubro.

Overall, no national law has been made regarding this in India yet, but due to the initiatives of these states and companies, working women and girl students in the country are getting a lot of relief.

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